Interpersonal Competence Configurations, Attachment to Community, and Residential Aspirations of Rural Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescents who grow-up in rural areas often experience a tension between their attachment to the rural lifestyle afforded by their home community and a competing desire to gain educational, social, and occupational experiences that are only available in metropolitan areas. While these diverging pressures are well-documented, there is little information about linkages between rural high school students' views of their communities, their postsecondary aspirations, and their school adjustment. To address this issue, this study examined perceptions of community and residential aspirations in an ethnically diverse sample of 8,754 rural adolescents (51.5% female) in relationship to their competence and risk status in high school. Participants were from 73 rural high schools across 34 states. In addition, ratings on participants' school adjustment were provided by teachers (n = 667). High competence students (i.e., those in configurations of high positive and low negative teacher-rated characteristics) expressed positive perceptions of their rural lifestyle and many, particularly girls, indicated an interest in staying in or returning to their home community. Low competence youth (i.e., those in configurations of low positive and high negative teacher-rated characteristics) appeared to be less connected to their community and were more likely to express their intent to leave and not return. These results appear to qualify current concerns about "rural brain drain" and also suggest that the lack of attachment to the community may be a compounding risk factor for rural adolescents who have significant school adjustment problems.

Preparing for Adulthood: A Recent Examination of the Alignment of Rural Youth’s Future Educational and Vocational Aspirations

“…As suggested, rural youth's future goals are shaped by socioeconomic circumstances, attachment to community, and perceptions of local economic opportunities Elder & Conger, 2000;Petrin et al, 2011). Given variations in economic opportunities within and across rural communities, residential preferences are particularly important for examining the adult aspirations and alignment of rural youth.…”

The influences of community attachment, sense of community, and educational aspirations upon the migration intentions of rural youth in Texas

“…Although the rural-to-urban migration of young people has generated scholarly and popular interest for several decades (for example, see: Bajema, Miller, & Williams, 2002;Burnell, 2003;Elder & Conger, 2000;Haller & Vickler, 1993;Hektner, 1995;Howley, 2006;Kirkpatrick Johnson, Elder, & Stern, 2005;Petrin, Farmer, Meece, & Byun, 2011), several recent studies of rural out-migration have attempted to untangle the complex and interconnected influences on youths' decision to leave their rural homes. This academic interest in youth out-migration is paired with a growing demand for information by rural residents and community development practitioners who see the loss of their towns' youth as an immediate hazard to wellbeing.…”

“…Complicating the relationships among place and community attachment, community satisfaction, and migration intentions, Petrin et al (2011) reported that high-competence youth had stronger ties to their rural communities and valued rural lifestyles while highrisk youth tended to view their hometowns more negatively and preferred to move away. Howley, Harmon, and Leopold (1996), in a study of aspirations among youth from rural Appalachia, discovered that although high-achieving students were not more eager to leave their home communities than other rural students, the high-achieving students exhibited stronger "modern" dispositions, which may increase the likelihood of out-migration.…”

An Examination of the Expected Timing of Transitions into Adulthood among Rural Men and Women

“…Rural youth live in areas high in social capital with strong shared values and connections between families, schools, and religious institutions (Byun, Meece, Irvin, & Hutchins, 2012c;Elder & Conger, 2000). These connections are critical in shaping educational and residential aspirations for adulthood (Byun et al, 2012c;Elder & Conger, 2000;Johnson et al, 2005;Meece et al, 2014;Petrin, Farmer, Meece, & Byun, 2011).…”